Reign of Darkness
by Liz Diz
Summary: Almost a year has passed since a void took the army of demons to hell again. Now another Apocalypse has come and two who were thought to be dead will return to help aid in the destruction of the new threat that has come to destroy the world. R.R.
1. PrologChapter One: Laying Out Plans

**A:N:** Okay I'm horrible, I've always loved this ff of mine and I want to finish it badly but I like changing things up so here we go again. Also finally can have a confession, my information when I first started writing this was secondhand, I never saw any episodes of Angel until last fall. So new information has been presented and hopefully my ff is a tad more accurate.

Thanks once again to all who read and those who have reviewed in the past: Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Sam, Lilith Lunatic, gopie, Swagman, heartfallen, and Cari7.

I love reviews and appreciate criticism, helps me make the story better just don't go out into a full-blown flame.

* * *

**Prolog**

For almost a year the void between the earth and the demons has been shut. Taking the hellish beasts back to Hades and hopefully keeping them there for the rest of eternity. How the void had come to pass was still a mystery to all who had stood ready to give their lives fighting for their loved ones.

Angel, Spike, Gunn, and Illyria stood, side by side just watching as the void shut, inclosing the demons in hell forever. The Senior Partners, they were gone. Not a word, for months after the occurrence of them. They searched for answers, only to find them in the worst possible form.

The ones responsible for their survival had been waiting for years, hiding in the shadows of tortured souls, longing to show themselves. Longing for someone to be able to just break the Senior Partners just enough for them to take control. In other words people/demon/vampires no one ever wanted to get involved with but sadly as Angel and them almost always end up with them. Creatures that the Senior Partners did not dare look upon for fear of their own immortality being brought to an abrupt halt.

It's terrible isn't it? When those so incredibly feared have fears themselves? Shows that they themselves have mortal ties to this world.

The creatures that had saved them were all gathered beneath one name. One name belonging to that of the Left Hand of the Devil, he was known throughout the known world as a creature of curse, his curse of doom, to bring and cause Lucifer's doings unto humanity. Releasing more demons from hell but why he would recall them from earth at such a time when they were set to destroy everything thanks to the Senior Partners. He found them annoying and unneeded as it was.

The Left Hand of the Devil had something else planned, of this Angel was certain but he didn't have time to investigate what it was the Left Hand was up too. Now he and the others mourned the lost of friends but it was soon time to reorganize A.I. Even though he needed to understand more of what the Left Hand wanted he didn't want to think over what it meant now. He, like the others needed some peace.

But peace was something to be short lived.

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Laying Out Plans**

_Standing alone with no direction  
How did I fall so far behind?  
Why Am I searching for perfection?  
Knowing it's something I won't find_

_In my fear and flaws  
I let myself down again  
All because_

_I run  
Till the silence splits me open  
I run  
Till it puts me underground  
Till I have no breath  
And no roads left but one_

_When did I lose my sense of purpose?  
Can I regain what's lost inside?  
Why do I feel like I deserve this?  
Why does my pain look like my pride?_

_In my fear and flaws  
I let myself down again  
All because  
I let myself down  
In my fear and flaws_

_I run  
Till the silence splits me open  
I run  
Till it puts me underground  
Till I have no breath  
And no roads left but one  
No roads left but one_

_In my fear and flaws  
I let myself down again  
All because_

_I run  
And the silence splits me open  
I run  
And it puts me underground  
But there's no regret  
And no roads left to run_

Rain, rain, rain, rain and more rain.

For the past week and a half the city of Los Angles had been in almost a monsoon season, only with less flooding to many peoples thanks. If one didn't know better they would swear they were in Seattle. Few walked in the rain. The only ones who would dare to were those who had a true need to be out on such a miserable Saturday morning.

A young woman walked not far from the new building from where Angel and his associates continued to fight against the evils that the world could bring forth from its bowels. To their happiness however, the Senior Partners seemed to be leaving them be. For the time anyway, she knew they weren't completely gone so whenever they did return everyone best be prepared. She didn't much care for the Senior Partners either. She was actually content that they had done her such a blessed favor by destroying the

She turned her face to look upon the structure. Her leather-adorned body shrieked silently for the blood she lust for. The blood she wanted to consume from rage and hate towards Angel and those affiliated with him. Now was not the time though, soon though. Soon the blood would flow from all things good to spill into evil's longing mouth.

For now though she had to reveal to the world that they were no longer a legend that mothers told to their frightened children to get the little imps to fall asleep. That's when she saw him. Jogging in the rain, his hair dark and wet from the water, his body hard and muscular from years of training. The perfect specimen to leave a message upon.

She smirked softly to herself when she moved into the way of his run as he neared her. Her eyes glanced up at the rooftop of the buildings briefly. They usually never traveled alone, always in groups of pairs. However it was not to her liken to travel with another but this was a special occasion. Her partner was only there to create a distraction for their prey while she finished him off.

With a slight nod to him, she let him know she was ready to receive something that she knew he would enjoy delivering. Which he was. He smiled to himself as he set his sniper rifle up aiming directly at her heart briefly but to his sadness he knew he couldn't kill her and aimed for her shoulder.

The shot rang out, the bullet sang through the air striking her in the shoulder just as their prey almost passed her. Her voice cried out in pain and she fell forward onto the jogger. He cried out too as he caught her body in his arms. Blood transfer from her body to his as he stared down at her. Her mouth dropped slightly to show the agony she was in, or rather that she was faking.

He held her body gently, swinging his arms so he cradled her, he carried her into a nearby parking garage. Telling her softly that she would be fine as he set her down on the cement. He shook his head to get his hair out of his face as he viewed the wound. One of his hands moved to where the wound was on her shoulder and held it tightly against it. Trying vainly to stop the bleeding. What he had not realized was that the bleeding had already halted only moments after he had set her down.

She moaned softly at his touch, not in pain though. She felt none now. She brought her hand up to touch his face. Her beautiful gaze startled him at first but he didn't stop telling her to hold on, that she'd be fine. A plotting smile crept upon her face. How stupid a man he was. The belief of a young woman in distress seemed so idiotic to her that she couldn't understand why they were the main source of entertainment. Why must the male always be saving the female?

She shook it off.

Her arms slinked around his neck and she began to pull him down onto her. He shook his head, motioning to her injury. She smirked with a shake of her head. One of her hands dropped away from his neck to move inside of her trench coat. While she toyed with him, pulling his lips nearer to his to kiss gently, the hand within her coat enclosed upon the dagger and she quickly brought it forth.

The blade sunk deep into the back of his skull. His eyes bulged out at her as blood sprayed around the knife and her hand. She held his head tightly to keep his screams muffled into her kiss. The sight of his eyes looking like a fish, his pupils small in shock made her smile into the kiss. Her smile left to begin to suck upon his mouth at the taste of the coppery life force. Blood had spilled into his mouth from his knife going through the roof of his mouth.

The moist hot red liquid drenched the inside of her mouth. She moved him onto his side, so that she now knelt beside him. Still kissing him harshly not in passion but to drain him. She couldn't help but drink from him as if he were a fountain and she just a passer by wanting to drown her thirst in it.

Instead of simply pulling the blade out the way she had brought it into his thick skull, she yanked it towards the top of his scalp. Brain tissue flung out of the gash and spread over the ground. His body became dead weight and she pushed his head down to drink as much of him as she could. He was still alive for the most part and his blood so warm and delicious to drink in.

She didn't part from the corpse, even when her partner walked towards her. His coat flowing in the wind and the rain beat against him as he walked over to her. He looked down upon her. Watching her as she drained the wretched human dry of any life from him. He could only smile. Proud of what she did and how she went about it. She was a beautiful creature to behold but such a deadly assassin that he dared not touch her without permission or without her fully away of his and her actions.

Especially now when she feasted upon their victim to drown her thirst.

She sat up finally when she had her fill and gasped. The blood dripped from her mouth and rolled off of her chin. She looked down at their victim briefly. His eyes wide like a fish, his mouth opened wide in horror. Blood oozed from his mouth and nose while it pooled beneath his head.

She smiled and stood beside her partner, both their faces were seen by cameras in the building. He was handsome, pale with bright green eyes wand jet-black hair. He looked at her, her eyes were black from her feast, and her face was bloody from the violent death of the victim.

The man smirked to her, his hand drifted to her far shoulder and placed it to her cheek so she'd looked to him. He knew now that he could touch her without fear. She was aware of everything going on now so he had no fear of her attacking him. Her eyes stared at him blankly, her mouth remained partial opened, blood dripping ever so slightly from her lips. He removed his hand and nodded for her to finish.

She knelt down beside their victim once more, her knife in hand she ripped the man's shirt open. They would need to hurry now. The targets she would take care of alone would soon be on their way.

While she carried her mission out he would have to return to there hollow hell of a home. He gave her a nudge with his leg and waited for her to look up to him. Her gaze met his and he motioned that he was leaving.

She nodded, watching him walk off into the rain then returned to finishing her message. They would be remembered for the horrors they had caused. They would let it be known that they were back. Sulfur and blood would be the smells that stank up this world in only a matter of weeks.

Hell would soon finish its reign on earth as it was written thousands of years before.

* * *

**A:N:** Yes I know no Angel but next chapters full of him. It's called setting up the plot. But relax there's a lot more coming. Please review! I love reviews and thanks to all those who have reviewed: Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Sam, Lilith Lunatic, gopie, Swagman, heartfallen, and Cari7. As with most of my ff's I enjoy putting songs into the beginning of the chapter. Don't know why, I just do. This chapters selection I believe is Linkin Park- No Roads Left. Any song suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.


	2. Chapter Two: Need For Blood

**A:N:** Well I said Angel would come and here he is. Thanks to the reviewers: Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Sam, Lilith Lunatic, gopie, Swagman, heartfallen, and Cari7. Please review, I love reviews!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Need for Blood**

_I can't escape this hell  
So many times I've tried  
But I'm still caged inside  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself _

So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal  
(This animal, this animal)

I can't escape myself  
(I can't escape myself)  
So many times I've lied  
(So many times I've lied)  
But there's still rage inside  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself

So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal

Somebody help me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself  
Somebody wake me from this nightmare  
I can't escape this hell

(This animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal)

So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal  
(This animal I have become) 

Angel sat alone in his office, his gaze looking out of the window and over the city he called his home, such a bleak day. Rain poured over the concrete, steal and brick buildings. Not as hard as it had the night before but not enough for him to be bothered by it.

His mind was wandering over what had happened several months ago. No matter what he did he could never seem to forget or draw his mind away from the thoughts. The memories of the void and watching it shut around the horde of demons and beasts that the Senior Partners. What had happened hadn't been anything he or the others could have done. Despite Illyria's great power he knew for certain it wasn't her. The Senior Partners hadn't shown their faces or any remote part of the monstrosity that was Wolfram and Hart. Maybe they knew something that they didn't know of.

Cordelia's visions had faded. The Powers That Be must have taken them away when the Senior Partners decided that disappearing would be a great idea. This could mean one of two things. One: that the Powers That Be got rid of the Senior Partners, two: that something worse had taken the Senior Partners out and now everyone was in hiding until whatever it was that had a hold of their fear was gone.

Angel wished he knew who had spared them from certain death. Rumors of someone doing it had made it to them but so far no names. Several large demons but they were all dead or in the Well. He couldn't think of who would want to spare them and the world from such a horribly fate though. Except God but Angel very much doubted that He would intervene if He hadn't decided to help with the last couple of apocalypses why help with this one?

As his thoughts deepened a knock came from the door. He ignored it best he could. Thinking over the deaths of Wesley, Cordelia, Doyle and the others he had lost and gained along the way. The thoughts of losing his son, he had lost him twice and twice was enough. Once to Holtz and the second to the memories of another family.

Happiness washed over him though. Connor had come back when the memories returned. So he had gained him back. He had even come to his aid when they decided to attack the Circle. Since then they had seen each other a few times. Not as often as Angel would have liked but he respected Connor's decision not to make anything of it. As far as anyone knew Angel was a friend from out of town.

Another knock came from his door, this time louder and continuously.

"Yeah?" He called out still looking out the window but slowly retreating from his thoughts. He turned in his chair and watched as Spike entered the room. He moved and stood in the center of the room with his light blonde hair slicked back and his black wardrobe and pain in the ass attitude. Not truly someone Angel really wanted to see right at the moment or ever. "What do you want?"

"I'd thought you'd be happy to see me," Spike said with a hint of sarcasm. In his hand he carried a photograph that Angel noticed because of a main color on it. Red, which only meant one thing when Spike brought anything into his office. Blood. "There was a body found in the parking garage across the way."

"It's a dead body Spike," Angel told him with a sigh looking back to him. "What's so hard to believe about that? People get mugged in parking garages all the time. Why aren't the police dealing with it?"

Spike mocked him in an annoying voice and walked over to Angel's desk to ditch the photograph on it. "Because this one has writing on it that I haven't seen for a while and I was hoping never to see it again."

Angel reached forward to grab the photograph. He looked at him rather concern, when Spike was actually trying to be serious he knew something had to be wrong. He looked down at the photograph. His mouth opened slightly when he saw the bare chest of the victim.

He knew the writing as well but he too had not seen it for since he was a mortal. He stared at the photograph now. Memorizing every detail about it. The body was a young man; his face gawking in terror, eyes stared out wide and terrified, blood was everywhere on his torso where the writings had been placed. The fatal wound was something to the back of his skull. The poor man's shirt ripped open and carved into the flesh was a cursed warning. In a language that was only spoken by those who were thought to be long since extinct.

He looked up to Spike his eyes wide in fear and anger. "This had better be one of your sick and deranged joke Spike."

Spike shook his head, his face equally as confused as Angel's. "Trust me I wish it bloody was," He looked back at the photo. "Angel you and I both know that no creature, human, regular vampire, most of all demon, could do this. The damn buggers who did do this don't trust demons as far as they can throw them. Can you read it?"

"Can't you?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Yes I took _'How To Read The Bad Guys Writing' _at the Boarding School For Good Guys."

"Can I take that as a no?"

Spike just glared at him as he looked at the photograph again. He could read most of this language but not all. He was one of the few that could that were not part of them. Luckily he knew everything that the man bore upon his chest. It may have looked like only mere designs and drawings to the crime scene investigators and police but he knew the language.

"'We have come/ We have gone / We have returned/ Shadows will creep/ Day will be night/ Death to you/ Doom to the world'," He looked up to Spike, his eyes showed his worry. "I could be wrong but I think we just gave up one Apocalypse for another," He stood up and began to walk towards the door. "Is the body still at the garage?"

"Should be," Spike began following Angel out of his office and into the hallway. "Last I recall the dead can't walk unless they're the living dead. What can you hope to get off a dead body though?"

"Not the body," He told him pressing the down button when the reached the elevator. "I remember that they would leave something else near the body when whoever they decided to go on a killing spree. Do you remember when we last saw these damn writings?"

"I was still a mortal," He told Angel with a growl. "So we'll be expecting more bodies around the city then?"

Angel shook his head. "In the building. Whoever did this wanted to make sure that we were definitely going to see this. Make sure no one is allowed in the building without proper identification."

"Yes master," Spike mumbled and turned to walk away but stopped when he thought something over. He turned back to Angel as the elevator doors opened and he got in. "You think it was them?" Angel looked up from the floor to Spike. "You think they were controlling the void? Why save us when they're going to kill us?"

He shrugged. "We'll find out soon enough."

The doors shut on his words and the elevator began its slow decent to the bottom floor. Within seconds of the doors closing the elevator shook violently.

Angel's body was thrown to one side of the traveling box and smashed his head against the wall. He gave a cry of pain, his blood dripped from his forehead onto the floor in several large clumps before he healed. The lights flashed as the elevator came to a sudden halt so his body collapsed.

He groaned in pain when he tried to get up. "It's started."

"No.." A soft seductive voice told him.

He spun around; his eyes started at the floor and went up the body of a young woman. Her legs were covered in dark leather with several blades and stakes dangling on them. On her hips were two guns both able to shoot stakes and silver bullets by the look of the design, her upper body was clothed in a leather vest that was tied up the front. Upon her chest was the color crimson but darker and not as shiny as her leather.

Blood. More than likely from the man who Spike had shown a picture of.

He could tell she wasn't human. Her face told him that much. Blood was still on the corners of her mouth and her eyes were simply brilliant. They were dark black and empty as she stared at him. No reflections in them whatsoever. Her blonde hair with a few brown streaks in it was tied back tightly with her bangs that fell on her forehead.

A sinister smile crossed her face. "Not yet anyway."

"What do you mean 'not yet'?"

"I'm here only to warn you," She began, her voice sounded so distant, almost echoing words on the wind as she spoke to him. "The boy," She told him softly her head tilted up when Angel stood to his full height again. "The one born of two vampires will soon be hunted by many."

His thoughts drifted to the only person he knew of that was born of such a manner. His son. "Connor?" He questioned her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and shoved her back against the wall of the elevator in anger and confusion. How dare she make such a threat! "What is it that Connor can do to you and your kind?"

"He can destroy us," She hissed back at him her eyes so black and endless that it startled him. Like staring into an endless abyss. "They are closing on him. Slowly circling like vultures for the kill. Only waiting for the signal to take him," She stared harshly back at him. "Find him.."

He shook his head in disbelief at what she spoke. "If you are one of them then why are you telling me all of this?"

"I have my reasons."

Her eyes went wider and something almost like an eclipse flashed in them. Then light came from her eyes to smash against Angel's body. The force from the blow sent Angel back into the wall behind him. He head smashed hard and he collapsed to the ground. He could hear her as she moved up to him and he felt the sharp pain in his arms. He looked to his arm and saw her holding a syringe in it and she began to draw blood from him.

He began to move to stop her but she brought her fist across his face. The elevator shook once more and the lights cut out.

"_Find him before they do," _Her voice whispered to him this time in his head. He looked back up to where she had been. Now all that was left of her was a wisp of smoke.

The elevator shook again but this time everything started to move again. He thought over what he had heard her tell him. Connor as far as he knew was suppose to be at the library doing research for his college classes for the day. His 'parents' had called and informed Angel that he was in the city. He shook his head at the voice that kept repeating in his mind.

'_Find him before they do'_.

The doors to the elevator opened and he ran over to the greeter's desk. The woman looked up from her computer in shock at the look on Angel's face. "Get Spike, Illyria and Gunn down here now.

* * *

Illyria stood overlooking the city from the rooftop of the building. Her heart still grieved from the loss of her beloved Wesley. She had often wished to see him in more than her dreams. His wounds had been fatal and she couldn't believe there was nothing she could of done for him. She didn't want to believe it.

There was nothing she could have done to save him from the fate that was sealed for him though. She recalled his last words as she had held him tenderly in her arms; for her to lie to him once more before he passed to the next world. Whether it be heaven or hell he had been sent too. She felt so much sadness for the loss of him. She couldn't help but lie to herself sometimes. To lie, saying nothing would ever of happened between them. He had blamed her for the loss of his beloved Fred. This she knew, but they had shared something. Hadn't they?

The rain fell against her body, drenching her in the wetness of forget and she felt herself slink to her knees. She stared up at the sky as a steak of lightening spanned across it. Her eyes shut as she lowered her head to look upon the roof. So wet and shinny. And cold. Cold like her heart was.

She had felt something, no, someone else there with her suddenly but she was unaware of whom it was. She didn't know of anyone being off duty at the moment. Her eyes opened and before her stood a young woman, her face was covered by a hood so she could not know who she was. She knew it was a woman from her stance and body. Her trench coat flowed gently in the wind as she stood just looking to Illyria, not moving, not flinching, just stood there looking at her.

"You do not reside here," Illyria informed the leather bound woman who nodded in agreement to her statement. "Why do you come then?"

Her head tilted up a bit and she revealed a bright blue glow in her eyes briefly. It faded quickly though, as if it was sort of warning. A warning for what though?

"I need your aid," Her voice was distant though she stood only several feet away from Illyria.

"My aid?"

She removed her hood to let the rain drench her as well. She smirked at her; Illyria began to notice eclipses forming in her eyes. "Yes."

The light came from her eyes to strike Illyria hard. The blow sent her hurtling backwards. She landed on her back with a loud outcry of pain as well as surprise. Before she could stand to fight back, the woman had moved to where she had fallen and stuck a syringe into her neck. She gave a quiet moan from the sharp pain when the woman began to draw the blood from her.

"All will be as it once was."

"What do you mean?" Illyria questioned her as she removed the syringe from her body with a soft yank. " 'Once was?'"

The woman looked at the blood in the syringe and gave a soft smile. "Two who were dead will live on once more. You're mourning days will soon pass Illyria," She turned her back to her and began to walk away from the still startled Illyria. "Find Angel. He needs you now."

Before Illyria could do anything the woman had jumped from the building. Forcing herself to the side of the building. No sign of the woman. None at all.

* * *

Spike walked towards the security room to do as Angel had asked of him. He wasn't happy to be doing it but the truth of the matter was he really had nothing better to do. Vampires were for the most part in check and not killing or turning too many people, demons for the most part had vanished from Los Angles when and the witches were not doing too much damage to be note worthy of them.

In complete truth he was bored off his ass, so running on errands didn't bug him so much.

He was walking past the library when he found Gunn leaving it. He walked out holding a book in his hands and reading it as he passed Spike without so much as a glance from his it. Spike tilted his head to side to read what the book was. _Supernatural Livings: A Guide To Vampiric Lifestyles_.

He shook his head at the title turning to watch Gunn walk past him. "You really need to read about it?" He questioned him and Gunn stopped, turning around to look at him while Spike laughed at him. "What you don't get enough of it on a daily bases?"

"Some of us aren't like you Spike," He told him shutting the book with a shrug and a smile. "While you're out walking along being one, I feel like reading about them."

"I could always turn you and you could live it instead of read it."

"I like the sunlight Spike," Gunn told him with a chuckle.

"I don't blame you," An angelic yet demonic from behind them stated softly; they both turned to look at a woman staring them down. Her eyes shown a bright glow for a moment but it passed quickly. "The sunlight is very beautiful. I haven't seen it in some time though. Too much rain."

Spike's eyes became wide, his mind flashed and raced back to his past.

The woman looked to Spike and smiled. They both knew one another and she flashed her long canine teeth to remind him of who she was in the world of immortals and mortals. The strange thing about her was that while her teeth revealed what she was her face did not. Blood dribbled from her lips to state that she had feasted before her run in with them.

Within seconds of her smile Spike's mind came back to reality and he pointed at her. He remembered her and she could only smirk in response to his knowledge. "You! You filthy harlot what in the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"Oh how mean of you, William," She growled at him. "Didn't you miss me at all?"

He began to charge her when he saw them. The eclipses that he had seen so many years ago when they were both much younger forming in her eyes as she smiled evilly at them. He began to hit the brakes and shout at Gunn to run but before he could do anything, the force from the light in her eyes sent them back smashing into the wall at the end of the hall.

The building shook from the force emitted from her eyes. Probably disturbing the foundation but she didn't know nor did she care to know quite honestly. Her mind was set on what had to be done.

She walked up to Spike looking down at him in annoyance.

They both thought the other was dead and she knew she would rather have him dead however he was needed. So she brought her heel to his face in a hard swift kick to show her disgust.

The sound of a crack in his neck made an already sickened Gunn give an agonizing grunt of repulsion.

Her eyes then turned to Gunn at the sound of his pain. The smirk that had been on her face was gone and was replaced by anguish. Before he could even lift his head she had knelt beside him and drove a syringe deep into Gunn's side. He cried out when the needle was driven into his body but cried even louder when she finished taking his blood and yanked the syringe from his side in one swift harshness that made him almost hurl.

Her gaze went back to Spike who was trying to clear his head by shaking it. He was also trying to get the kink out of his back from being delivered such a menacing blow. His gaze was still unfocussed; blood came willingly from the cut the heel of her boot had made on his cheekbone.

She didn't spare him any pain. He had tried to kill her once before, payback was going to be a bitch for him. She pulled new syringe from her belt and drove it into his flesh just centimeters away from his penis. He gave a yelp of fear looking between the needle and her.

"Bugger of a bitch," He hissed at her as she began to take blood from his body.

Within seconds she had enough and yanked the syringe out. His hand moved to cover his privates in self-defense.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," He informed her as she stood up and stuck both syringes in her coat pocket. When she looked back to him he saw the eclipses forming in her eyes again. "I'm regretting the fact that I didn't."

"I am too," She replied to his statement with a smirk. "I'm still surprised that you haven't been turned into a pile of ash yet. I would of thought you'd piss off the wrong people enough to be killed by now."

"Life's full of surprises love," He growl at him. "I'm looking at one."

Gunn looked between the two as they spat back insults. They actually sounded like Angel and Spike when they argued. Two people who had know each other for a long time and hated each other as well.

"What the hell? Have you two met in another life?"

She shot a nasty glare over at Gunn as a warning for him not to push her buttons then turned her gaze back to Spike. "And you associate yourself with humans," She stated with a shake of her head and a sigh. "I thought you couldn't go any lower than the scum you are."

Spike stood up slowly as his face and leg began to heal as he did. "Should we finish off what we started years ago then?" He questioned her and her eclipses flared in her eyes. "Minus your powers because those can become a major pain in the ass after a while."

"Despite how much I would love taking the pleasure of killing you," She stated as she turned to walk away. Her hands on her hips to push back her jacket to reveal all the guns and knives that she carried on her. "I have more important things to attend to rather than wasting my time on you and your kind."

"'Your kind'?" He questioned her as she began to walk away from them. He quickly jogged up beside her grabbing her arm to force her to turn to look at him. "Pardon me but 'your kind'? When did you become something more than a vampire besides those damned powers of yours?"

With that said she brought her fist across his face. The blow wasn't as harsh as the kick to the face had been but enough to make his head snap back. He let her go when the dizziness began to hit him but he regained his senses and brought his fist back to strike but all that was there was a mist of smoke. Her laugh was all that remained now.

A soft angelic laugh that disappeared with the smoke.

Spike looked around the hallway to view the damage the little bitch had caused. The walls that were closest to where she had delivered the first shock wave of force to were broken and cracked. Shards of class and splinters of dry wall were everywhere. Several people stood in shock and disbelief as to what had happed. One thing was certain to Spike though. Angel would have a hissy fit when he saw them. He shook his head in disgust to look back to Gunn who finally stood, his hand on his side where the syringe had struck him.

Gunn walked over to him slowly as he continued to look around for any sign or thing she could've left behind that would allow them to track her. "Pardon me but do we happen to know the demon girl?"

"We need to find Angel," Spike growled out walking down towards the elevator.

Gunn's eyes opened wide as he watched Spike stomp away in a huff. "Holy shit. The five words I thought I'd never hear come out of your mouth."

* * *

Angel stood waiting in the lobby for the other three to get their butts down there. His stance showed his was doing it very much if anything not patiently. His thoughts kept drifting back to his son and what she had said about him. The fear that she would go after him herself was so present in his mind there was no way to stop them. He wouldn't have believed what she had told him but the body with the writing of a clan long thought to be only a legend was making him more uneasy about the whole situation.

The elevator dinged and first to come out was Illyria. She walked over to him calmly, her brilliant blue eyes stared at him and she seemed a little frightened over something, which was odd for Illyria in so many ways.

She looked to Angel's arm. The sight of the blood trickling down it caught his attention. "You are injured."

He turned his gaze to his arm briefly before turning back to her and her neck. The tiny hole in it looked about the same size as his own injury. "Were you stuck with a syringe too?"

"So she also came to you then?" She questioned him as Spike and Gunn came out of the elevator. Spike was limping slightly from being stabbed so close to his crotch. Illyria at both him and Gunn, noting the sizes of the holes in their bodies and the amount they bled out. "You as well?"

"The buggered bitch!" Spike hissed while he made his way over to them. He looked to Angel, his eyes showed so much rage about whatever had just occurred and Angel couldn't help but smile at his discomfort. "I know that bitch we're dealing with. And next time I see her she's going to be nothing more than a pile of ash."

"I figured you would at least know her," Angel joked to him as he leaned against the counter where he crossed his arms over chest. "You seem to have a habit of knowing the evil people who want as dead?" Spike gave an annoyed growl as his wound finished healing on his thigh. Angel continued and looked over to Illyria. "What happened with you and demon eyes?"

Spike gave an exasperated sigh. "Do you care that I know something?"

"Be quiet insolent one, " Illyria hissed at him. Her icy blue eyes glared at him that made him return an equally as annoyed glare as well. "The woman appeared to me on the roof."

She began to tell them with a sternness that showed she was not happy with what had happened between her and the woman.

"She came from no where. Said she needed aid. Light came from her eyes. I would have fought back, her powers are inferior to mine, but she caught me off guard. When she drew blood from me she told me 'All will be as it once as' and 'Two who were dead will live on once more'. Before I could strike back she disappeared," She stared at Angel who nodded. "You had a similar experience?"

Again he nodded thinking over his son and he turned to walk out the door. "We need to get to the public library."

"Why?" Spike questioned him with a shrug and a hiss of annoyance. "To look up information that I already know?"

"She said that they were after Connor. He's studying at the library," Angel hissed back at him walking out the door. "Now get the car and drive."

Spike smirked as they all began to walk after Angel. "Daddy gonna go save his baby boy?"

Angel ignored him as the door shut behind him and they all began to head to the garage to get a car. He didn't want to be too careful about a warning from the woman who had wrote them a warning of their soon to be deaths on a dead man's body. Whoever they were dealing with now he knew for sure wasn't kidding around with them or if they were, their sense of humor was sick and he did not want to deal with them right now.

He wanted to see his son.

Now.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed, don't forget to review.


	3. Chapter Three: Quick Study

**A:N: **Thanks again to everyone for their reviews! mendenbar,Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Sam, Lilith Lunatic, gopie, Swagman, heartfallen, and Cari7. Please continue to review, I love reviews! And as for reading this before, I have a nasty habit of rewriting stories so you probably have read this before just now it is redone.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Quick Study**

_This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong  
Who would have guessed it  
I will not leave alone  
Everything that I own  
To make you feel like it's not too late  
It's never too late _

Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late

No one will ever see  
This side reflected  
And if there's something wrong  
Who would have guessed it  
And I have left alone  
Everything that I own  
To make you feel like  
It's not too late  
It's never too late

Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late

The world we knew  
Won't come back  
The time we've lost  
Can't get back  
The life we had  
Won't be ours again

This world will never be  
What I expected  
And if I don't belong

Even if I say  
It'll be alright  
Still I hear you say  
You want to end your life  
Now and again we try  
To just stay alive  
Maybe we'll turn it around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late  
Maybe we'll turn it around  
'Cause it's not too late  
It's never too late (It's never too late)  
It's not too late  
It's never too late 

Connor sat quietly in the library over looking his books. He had several of them opened on the table in front of him along with notebooks full of information that he had taking during class; that seemed important from what he was reading. His finals were coming up soon and he was cramming in studying to prepare for them.

Something seemed wrong though. The amount of people who were dressed in complete black or deep crimson had increased rapidly in the last hour. About ten on his floor that he could see and all were male. They weren't looking at anything in particular. Looking well, more or less glancing, at one thing then moving on to a completely different section.

One of them looked to Connor briefly, his eyes were a strange yellow that disturbed him but the man's eyes didn't stay on him long. Instead they turned at the sound of someone walking up the stairs. Connor didn't bother in looking to see who the person was. Just returned to reading his books and taking the notes he had to take but didn't want to. Praying a little bit that this was a gothic club meeting and not a ton of vampires that wanted him dead for being Angel's son.

A hand came to his shoulder bringing him out of his notes to look at the hand. Black leather gloves, his eyes traveled up the arm to see who the person was but the person's head came along the opposite side of his turn.

"_The Studies of English Literature_?" A woman's voice questioned him.

He turned his head to the direction the voice came, surprised to see her. She looked younger than he was, maybe seventeen at the youngest, her eyes a strange coloring, one green and one blue but she didn't look to him. Her gaze was focused on the notes and her hand reached around him to move the papers around.

"I thought you were applying for an internship?" He stared at her as she spoke, how'd she know that? Well if she knew some of his friends at school perhaps but then again he'd remember her. "Well, then again, I also thought you would take over the family business. Good thing I never bet on it."

She now turned to look into his blue eyes. She knew he was Angel's son. She had too. A woman adorned in leather and a long trench coat making mention of the 'family business'. Of course she knew who he was.

The only color on her was her skin, eyes and hair. Everything else was black.

She smirked at him her hand running through his hair. He didn't flinch at her touch. She moved to sit on the desk in front of him. "You're more attractive than your father at least. You have you mother's eyes.."

He continued to stare at her. Confusion shot through him like a bullet. Who the hell was she? How did she know who he was and who his parents were?

"Who are you?"

"A creature of little consequence," She smirked off, moving so she could look down at the papers. "God how times of changed. How can you study so much without killing yourself?"

"'Creature'?" Connor questioned her concern mounting up with his confusion as e completely ignored her questions. "So you're not human?"

"Not exactly," She told him solemnly her eyes leaving the notes and books to look about the room at the others. "They aren't human, that I'm certain of, but you knew that already didn't you?"

He went to look at them to at least get a head count but she grabbed his wrist and squeezed tightly.

"Wait," She muttered in a hushed whisper. He looked to her and watched as she moved to where she sat on the table so she could look down at him and keep he'd focus on her. "They won't attack unless I give the order for them to."

"Why haven't you ordered them to then?" He questioned in a hoarse growling whisper while her hand moved up his arm to the back of his head. "Why do you toy?"

"I don't toy," She whispered her nails digging into the back of his head.

He gave a look of disgust then felt a sharp pain in his arm. He looked to where the pain came from to see a syringe sticking from his arm. He looked at it curiously as she drew the blood from his arm. When she finished she placed the syringe inside her jacket with a satisfied smile.

"However," She began after she locked the syringe tightly in her jacket. "You're not the one I'm here to kill."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not?" She shook her head her smile fading. "Then why are you here?"

"I said I wasn't here to kill you," She stated to him nodding over to the others. "Never said anything about them."

"I thought you controlled them," He looked back to the others then back to her as she shifted so she sat directly in front of him, her eyes never leaving his as she maneuvered her legs so she rested her boots on either side of his chair. "That they didn't do anything with your command?"

She leaned down to whisper: "Not when I decide to protect you."

"Why'd you do that?" He asked her his mind racing. "Because I'm more attractive than my father?"

She chuckled softly letting her hands slip from his head, down his neck to his arms. Jumping off the table she stood over him. He could only stare as her hands moved to his and brought them to her hips. He stared at her in shock of what she was doing. Trying to pull away from her, she squeezed his wrist, telling him to go along with what she was doing, and set his hands on a set of guns.

He looked to his hands. She was packing some heat. Guns, knives, stakes, silver. She had planned this whole thing didn't she? She practically had an arsenal on her.

"No," She stated with a sigh leaning down so only he could hear her. "Because they do want you dead. For a damn good reason but I'd prefer you alive also for a damn good reason too," She pressed her cheek against his. "I hope you still remember how to kill, I know it's been a while."

"I haven't forgotten a thing," He stated with a smirk remembering hunting, killing when he lived in the demon realm.

Gripping tightly to guns she had placed his hands on. Her hands left his to move to the inside of her jacket to grasp two other guns. She brought her head back so she could look at him.

"The question is though; are you any good?"

She smirked. "Watch and learn."

She brought her guns out to the side. He didn't stand, well he really couldn't, just pulled the guns out that she had given him and began to fire.

"Mara!" One of the vampires yelled at her over the gunfire.

She didn't listen or pay any attention to him though. Just fired the guns at whatever moved that was dressed in a dark color. Her eyes changed from husky eyes of humans to dark sinister black that showed she was growing more and more angry about the situation.

Luckily Connor was as good as he boasted. Hitting all the targets he aimed at, turning them into nothing but a pile of ash. With a hard push out of his seat, he stood up beside her, his arms out reached hers so he was careful not get his guns crossed in front of hers. He was still confused over what she had meant and what was happening. She was obviously going against orders but for what purpose? Why was he so important to her and them? He didn't have time to ask though so he kept shooting until he ran out of rounds.

"Got anymore of these?" He questioned her and he dropped them to clang on the floor. She shoved her guns into his hands obviously still holding some rounds.

His bullet struck one that was charging him from the left in the head. The creatures head shot back and he cried out as he turned into a pile of ash. He kept shooting until he ran out again. For all their shooting though seven remained, most of them were joining the fight from the first floor.

The only one who hadn't joined in stood above them on the third floor. Connor could see him, as could the woman they had called Mara. She pulled out several flying stars from her pocket and flung with all her might towards him. He jumped maneuvering his body to avoid the stars and landed on the floor not far from them.

"Ah shit," They both muttered as the man smirked off at them walking towards them.

She removed her trench coat in a quick motion and she spun around so her back faced Connor. His eyes instinctively went to look at the movement. Quickly his eyes fell to the sword that was strapped onto her back and beside it a large narrow pipe.

"Take the sword!" She ordered him while her own hand flung back to grasp the pipe.

He was ahead of her words though; his hand already grasped the hilt of the sword. Unsheathing it quickly, he turned and brought the sword across the first vampire's abdomen. Blood spilled from the wound, the beast's entrails spilled from its body like a strange bloody soup. It cried out and Connor ducked to avoid its sword.

In that same moment, Connor heard another steal weapon become unsheathed. A pole with a blade on the end missed his head and was wrought into the center of the vampire's throat. The head flew back and it shouted in pain while the rest of its body turned to ash. Connor's head turned briefly to look at Mara. In her hands was the pole with a blade on each end.

She had turned in a circle to be rid of the vampire on its way to behead Connor. Her gaze turned to the male who charged them. He lashed out at Connor, crying in anger as he did. Using the desk as a weapon Connor kicked it towards the vampire.

It stumbled over the desk and cried out in agony.

Mara moved quickly, somersaulting over the fallen desk and the vampire. She turned back to him when she landed, bringing the pole down hard to slash at him but the vampire easily blocked it. With the power of that of a god he shoved her weapon aside. Bringing his blade up he tried to strike her from above. She moved her weapon above her head, grasping tightly at a wider angle to hold her position while he brought his down on her.

The blow hurt her body and she sank to her knees listening to him cackle. Her arms began to buckle beneath the weight of his strength.

The vampire gritted his teeth, his eyes became a blood red. He wanted her blood now. He was so hungry and had heard the legend of her blood. How sweet it was to drink from. Now he had a reason to take it from her.

"You fuckin' half-breed! You dare to challenge us?" He hissed at her, her gaze black and bottomless as he brought his boot to connect with her chest in a harsh kick.

The impact of his boot sent her back hurtling into a bookshelf with such force that the shelf shook and books fell on her. He smiled at the sound of shelves breaking and her body crashing to the floor. He walked over to her when she began to move.

"Mara!" Connor screamed as the vampires began to overpower him. He fought them back killing them one after another, they just kept coming though! Nothing was stopping them from coming and they were only attacking him, leaving Mara to the other vampire.

Slowly beginning to regain her senses. Her arms supporting her body, she shook her head in pain. Blood began to seep from several small gashes.

"You're too weak," The vampire told her standing over her. "Little sister. Too fucking weak."

She looked up to him, her eyes forming pits of endless darkness quickly filling with the eclipses. "Bull shit asshole."

A focused ray of darkness smashed into his body. His body curled under the blow as he was sent back over the balcony of the second floor to fall to the first. She got up from where she had fallen, her gaze first falling to where Connor was.

He was fighting with against three vampires. His handle on the sword impressed her. He had defeated several others already. She could tell from the ash that lay scattered in piles across the floor. He spun around slashing at vampires, blocking at their swords and turning to take swipes at their abdomen. His strength was that of the vampires and it surprised them but their agility made it difficult for him to kill them.

With on swift kick he nailed one of them in the head to send him back against the railing. Spinning around he brought the sword down on one's neck decapitating it. The ash whirled around him as he jumped out of the way of an on coming blow. Bringing the sword up he caught the vampire's chin and forced it up through the rest of his head.

Ash clouded the area to form almost a mist before him. Connor looked for the third, his eyes shifting quickly about the second floor. Trying to find where he had disappeared to when he heard Mara give a cough. He looked to her and saw her holding the vampire he was looking for in a headlock. She gave him a smirk before she drove a stake through the vampire's heart. Ash surrounded her and then fell to the floor.

"You're good," She told him with a nod and smile.

"Not bad yourself," He replied with a smirk.

The sound of the glass crashing and people screaming below them on the first floor caused him to break his gaze with her to run to the side of balcony and look down.

Vampires invaded the lower level. Feasting upon the onlookers with no mercy. The vampire that had shouted at Mara stared up at Connor. Blood covered his mouth and ran down his neck. He smiled up at Connor opening his mouth wide to reveal the long vampiric teeth he bared. The teeth were much longer than any vampire he had seen before though. Sharp needles of teeth that at the longest point were at least four inches long. His mouth was wider than any vampires as well, releasing a loud roar of anger up towards him.

Connor turned to look for Mara but only caught a glimpse of her as she ran past him, grasping tightly to her pole before she jumped over the edge of the balcony as if it was nothing at all. He screamed at her, his new memories taking hold and he struggled to fight them back knowing that she was fine. Watching as she landed with a loud thud, breaking a table from the force, yet she was graceful in her ways

Her gaze went about the lower level searching for the longer toothed vampire. He had moved away into the shadows of the bookcases. She could only see the average vampires, five of them circling her, fangs extending longing for a taste of her blood.

She gave a growl as a warning but they didn't heed, charging at her mercilessly. Connor jumped off the balcony, his sword slashed two within seconds, Mara spun with the pole in her hands removing the rests heads with ease.

The ash was everywhere but the vampires had disappeared.

Connor looked to her briefly never lowering his sword. "Are they gone?"

"Yah," She began sarcastically glancing over to him. "Right. What are you a pussy brother?" She screamed out crouching down defensively looking for the other vampire. "Are you afraid of me?"

Connor looked at her confused but his eyes quickly moved to the ceiling. He remembered several of his hunts in the demon realm, that and just about every horror film known to man, was that everything was always up on the ceiling. The vampire smiled at him with a low hiss before it jumped down.

"Look up!" Connor shouted swinging his sword only to be kicked in the head and sent back into a cabinet.

She looked over to him as he slumped over. "Connor!"

The vampire roared at her to bring her attention back to him. Blood dripped from his mouth and covered his cheek. The crimson life source painted his face like an Indians war paint. Before she could do anything he brought his fist across her face sending her to the side. Her body smashed against a bookcase that shuddered from the blow.

"What is there to be afraid of?" He asked her as she jumped back onto her feet. Her lips a brilliant red with the fresh flowing blood that came from her nostrils. "A lowly half-breed? You're a worthless piece of shit. There's nothing to fear from you."

"You should learn look up the meaning of the word fear Vaughn," She hissed at him as they began to circle one another. Her hands holding tightly to her weapon while his eyes simply stared her down. They were two predators fighting the other for rights to the food that lay before them. "Cause one day you'll finally have it and not need to talk about it."

He began to laugh at her. "When will that be Mara?"

"The day I kill you!"

She screamed in agony leaping at him, spinning her weapon around then brought it from the side to strike him. The one called Vaughn reached forward without even moving to grab tightly to the pole just below the blade. Her eyes went wide as he slammed the blade into the ground at an angle. She wasn't prepared for the sudden halt. Her hands slipped and she fell to collide with Vaughn.

Unseen to her was the blade that he had pulled out of his belt that sunk deep into her body with a sickening sound. The blood spilled from her as he twisted the blade in her side then yanked it from her then shoved it in again. Farther and deeper into her body than the first stab.

She gasped, her mouth opened wide in shock, her teeth grew longer in agony and anger at what he had done to her.

Connor eyes opened at the sound of flesh being torn. He could see the vampire stabbing her, the sound that he had once loved now made him feel disgust. So much blood, he couldn't help but scream at the vampire. The part of his memories that had been so fabricated was taking over him. He began to stand only to fall, his leg in pain and he screamed again in both pain and in anger.

The vampire only took delights in Connor's annoyance. "Boy you barely know this bitch!" He shouted at him as he felt her hands grasp to his shoulders for support when he brought his own fangs forth. He knew that the wounds were fatal if she wasn't treated immediately and he could only smile. "Don't believe the lies she spreads."

"She's not the one trying to kill me!" Connor screamed again, blood dripping from his forehead.

"I'll kill you," Mara whispered hoarsely, blood spilling from her lips. "You fucking prick!"

"That day," He began his eyes lusting for her, her blood, and her body. "Will never come you little bitch," He felt her begin to struggle against him. He moved his hand to her head to hold tightly to her hair so she would stop. "You can't fight back. You're too close to death.."

"Father will be pretty pissed when he finds out what you've done."

"Who says he'll find out?"

He tilted his head down as hers began to fall back. His lips pressed against her neck, the feeling of his teeth beginning to puncture her skin made her gasp. Before they could break through her flesh he tilted his head back and roared in pain.

A blade ripped through his body and into her. The strike had come from behind him; he turned his head a bit to look and see Connor. He held the blade by the hilt, gritting his teeth while he held the sword in the vampires. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he held the blade in its position.

Vaughn smiled and laughed looking back to Mara. Her mouth was wide, blood overflowing from her mouth. Her eyes were pained and a white instead of her usual black or husky eyes. Red tears began to flow slowly from them. He smirked at this, and he pulled the knife out of her body and let it drop to the floor then let go of her to push her off the blade that Connor had sunk into both of them. Her body connected with the ground, splashing into a pool of crimson.

He looked briefly down at her before he turned his attention quickly back to Connor. A smirk spread across his face as he spun around. The movement had been so quick that Connor lost his grip on the hilt. Vaughn brought his arm around to grasp the hilt of the sword and he yanked it out of his body.

Connor seemed shocked that the vampire wasn't dead. Any other vampire would have been reduced to nothing but ash after such a devastating blow. Instead the vampire's gaze followed Connor as he moved to get Mara's weapon. All the vampire did was watch him and smile.

"I'm just so lucky today, aren't I?" He questioned Connor, blood trickling from his lips as his wound healed from where Connor had run him through. "To be rid of two pesky mistakes both on the same damn day?"

Connor held the weapon defensively, his gaze traveling to where Mara lay. Her glossy white eyes stared out blankly. As if she were dead. For how little Connor knew about her, he felt a sudden sadness to the loss of her but it left when she began to shake her head at Vaughn's questions and laughed a little at them.

Vaughn looked away from Connor and down at her in disgust and rage. "You act like you've won. You haven't you know that."

She looked to him; her mouth was being drowned in the crimson color of her blood. "I..I have the Five Bloods.."

His eyes grew wide in horror at her statement.

Connor simply looked between the two. He did not understand what she meant by the Five Bloods. He could tell the Vaughn did though. The sheer horror in his eyes when she had stated it had made him become fearful as well.

"Where are they?" He asked her fearfully and forcefully. She laughed even more at him, choking on her own blood as she did. "Mara, where in the hell are they?"

"They're here."

"Where?"

The building shook suddenly and everything seemed to shift. The coloring, the shapes, the sounds, everything. Connor was knocked off balance and collided with the nearby bookcase to fall onto the ground. He looked up to see Vaughn make his way to Mara.

Grasping tightly to her shirt he yanked her up so her upper body was lifted off the floor. "What the fuck did you do?"

"They have mixed," She smirked off at him. "They will bring back the ones now needed. Those thought forever lost in the depths of hell or the clouds of heaven will soon return."

"You little bitch!" He screamed at her bringing out a blade and placing it on the edge of her throat. "Do you have any idea what you've done? You've killed us all!"

"Look," She told him nodding her head up towards the ceiling where a violent wind had erupted.

He slowly turned to look upon the site that took place above him. Two bright balls of light, both shooting lightening from them had begun to raise forth, one arising from hell the other descending from heaven. The one from heaven sparked bright blue lightening streaks while the other from hell sparked great red bolts that collided dangerously with the ball of light from heaven.

The two as they came closer and closer to one another began to grow larger and had wind pick up about them. The wind was almost hurricane force and blew books from the shelves.

Once the balls of light only the size of the fists now they were the size of cars.

Connor stared up at the sight when he heard the door open. He turned to see Angel, Illyria, Spike and Gunn enter the library.

Their eyes immediately went towards the sight that took place above their heads. Staring in awe of the mass of colors and the force. Angel's eyes didn't stay focused on the objects for long. He looked to Connor who stood staring up at the sight as well. He called for him but he didn't hear him over the chaos that was ensuing.

Angel's gaze turned to Mara. Vaughn had left her side for shelter while she lay there. Her head tilted to the side, blood dribbling from her many wounds but they were slowing. She wasn't watching what was happening above their heads. Only laying motionless waiting for it all to end.

The sound of thunder clapping around them made him turn his eyes back to the second floor.

The two lightening balls where giants now, spinning around each other at a rapid speed. The speed only increasing as well as the size until they finally exploded into millions of tiny lights with what felt like a sonic boom. The loudness hurt everyone's ears and their eyes were blinded from the lights. They all turned away, shutting their eyes and covering their ears.

The wind that came from the explosion was a force to be reckoned with and sent them backwards and onto the floor. Grunts and groans came from the sudden wave of wind but all was silent as the lights fell like fireworks on the forth.

Mara smiled softly, whispering from her blood soaked lips. "They've returned."

* * *

**A:N:** Thanks once again for reading! Please continue the reviews! I love them and you know it! 


	4. Chapter Four: Return of the Living Dead

**A:N:** Thanks to everyone for their reviews; mendenbar, spanishgirl, Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Sam, Lilith Lunatic, gopie, Swagman, heartfallen, and Cari7. Please continue with the reviews! I love them and you know it! Hopw you enjoy this next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Return of the Living Dead**

_Are you lost_

_In your lies_

_Do you tell yourself I don't realize_

_Your crusade's a disguise_

_Replace freedom with fear_

_You trade money for lives_

_I'm aware of what you've done_

_No, no more sorrow_

_I've paid for your mistakes_

_Your time is borrowed_

_Your time has come to be replaced_

_I see pain_

_I see need_

_I see liars and thieves_

_Abuse power with greed_

_I had hope_

_I believed_

_But I'm beginning to think that I've been decieved_

_You will pay for what you've done_

_No, no more sorrow_

_I've paid for your mistakes_

_Your time is borrowed_

_Your time has come to be replaced_

_Thieves and hypocrites_

_Thieves and hypocrites_

_Thieves and hyporcrites_

_No, no more sorrow_

_I've paid for your mistakes_

_Your time is borrowed _

_Your time has come to be replaced_

_No, no more sorrow_

_I've paid for your mistakes_

_Your time is borrowed_

_Your time has come to be replaced_

_Your time has come to be replaced_

_Your time has come to be erased!_

Angel staggered about to keep himself standing, but the force of the explosion had sent him, along with everyone else, back about fifteen feet before they had collided with something to stop them. All but Spike had hit something hard enough to stop them though. He had been sent back into a window and out onto the street. He had nothing nice to say as he limped back into the library.

Angel looked around terrified for the safety of Connor. The sudden blow from the explosion had probably done more damage to him than anyone else. He had been the closest to it compared to anyone else in the room. It didn't take long for him to find him. He had been thrown into a column and laid beneath it his hand gripping his left arm. Angel hurried over to him.

"Hey you okay?" He questioned him staring at him in horror. His face was bloody with a bruised eye from being in a fight or at least from the explosion. Angel could only question how much they had missed before they arrived.

It was then Angel was happy that Connor was stronger and a faster healer than the average human. He moved Connor's hand to have a look at his arm. He was happy to see it wasn't broken. Luckily for him it was a gash, nothing life threatening. Angel gave a sigh of relief nothing for him to get overly worried about. He helped Connor to his feet to huge him gently.

"Dad?" Connor questioned looking up at him with a grunt of pain; he pushed him away so he could look at him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I always come here to study," He told him looking confused by his statement. "I've told you that."

"Why can't you study in your dorm?"

"Sock on the door," He informed him with a groan. He heard an 'oh' come from Angel's lips. "Yeah I didn't feel like watching either especially since my roommates gay. Which brings me back to what the hell you're doing here?"

Angel looked around the room, his gaze meeting all of his comrades then resting on Mara. She lay in the pool of her own blood; she looked so weak compared to the first time they had met only a couple hours ago.

Angel pointed to her as he moved over to her. "She did. We thought she was coming here to kill you."

The sound of movement made everyone look back to the second floor. Sparks were still flying but smaller and slowly beginning to degrade. Everyone stared up at it until the sparks were finally gone. Angel glared at Mara who didn't even return a glance instead she fell into unconsciousness.

He didn't feel like dealing with her at the moment. He was too pissed off at her for using his son for what appeared to be bait. He was the first to make a move to the stairs, followed quickly by everyone else. He moved rather quickly for not knowing what was up on that floor but his curiosity was out weighing his fears. His hand grasped tightly to the railing when he reached the top and saw what lay on the floor before him in the mass chaos of the destroyed second level of the library.

Two bodies that laid several yards apart from one another, both bodies where male and nude lying on their sides enough to keep themselves covered.

Angel moved closer trying in vainly to make out the men's faces. When he realized who they were he felt his jaw drop. He felt terror and shock grip him from what he saw.

This was impossible.

They were dead; they were supposed to be dead.

The others followed up behind him stopping short of the final step when they saw what Angel saw. They were all in shock of what they saw before them. Even Illyira seemed disturbed in a way that was unexplainable.

They were supposed to be dead. They had been gone for so long that it seemed like an eternity for those who knew them. One had been lost for almost six years; the other had been gone for only a matter of months. Angel felt his eyes swell at the sight of the body of his half-human half-demon friend that he met when he had first ventured to Los Angles.

Allen Francis Doyle.

The other was Wesley Wyndam-Pyrce.

Angel shook his head at the sight, unable to comprehend what he saw or what was happening. He could tell they were alive for he saw their sides' rise and fall as they breathed in the air that they hadn't tasted for so long. Even with such evidence he couldn't allow himself to believe they were real.

Angel walked over to Doyle first, amazed by the sight of him. He knelt beside his head and touched his shoulder to see if he was dreaming. His body felt real enough for him to believe this was reality. He leaned over to look at his face; there was no damage to him, no cuts or bruises. He had been killed in a brutal fashion.

"Doyle?" He questioned him trying to make sense of what was happening. He still wasn't sure if this was real or not even when he touched his shoulder to see if it was actually Doyle. "Doyle?"

Doyle's eyes opened sharply and widely to reveal the bright green eyes that Angel hadn't seen in so long. The only other one in the room that had known Doyle was Spike. Everyone else had come afterwards. Doyle lifted his head enough so he looked around the room, his breathing increased rapidly in shock at his surroundings.

His gaze finally fell upon Angel.

"Angel?" He questioned quietly staring at him. "What's going on?" He sat up quickly. "Where am I?" The sudden coldness that covered his body made him realize something was wrong and he looked down at his unclothed body. "Why am I naked?"

Angel shook his head removing his jacket and set it on him to at least cover him up. While everyone finished making their way up. He looked to where Connor stood in awe of what was happening.

Connor knew that Doyle had died years before he was born but seeing his body and him alive and talking was strange enough. He had also known Wesley and knew he had died the night the void had closed around demons. Everyone was in shock at Wesley's return.

Angel gave Doyle a pat on the back of reassurance then moved over to Wesley. He had begun to stir, his eyes had not opened yet but they would soon enough. Angel's eyes moved to his gut. The place where he had been stabbed was still there. Smaller but it was still there and bleeding a bit as well. His gaze went over to Illyria who stood her blue eyes staring at Wesley. She looked almost horrified to see him alive again.

"Illyria," He began and motioned for her to come over to them.

She hesitated at first but eventually walked over gasping at the sight of the wound. She remembered it all too well though she didn't wish too. Holding him in her arms as she watched him slip away. Worse for her though, she had done it in the form of his former love, Fred.

"Can you do anything about it?" Angel asked her.

Illyria looked at his wound while before she shook her head. "It is no longer mortal but he will need time to heal."

"Good," He muttered softly looking over to Spike. "Give me your coat."

Spike wrapped his arms tightly around his jacket. "No way in bloody hell am I allowing anyone who is naked as a jay bird touch my coat unless it doesn't have a penis."

Angel glared at Spike then turned his gaze to Gunn who walked over and handed him his jacket.

Doyle was still looking around at the catastrophe that was once a library before his eyes landed on Connor, Gunn and Illyria. He had looked at Spike briefly but he recognized him from the brief time he had met him as well as Oz. He pointed at the other three his face filled with confusion. "Who the hell are you?"

"Hey Dad," Connor began as his father helped Wesley to sit up and lean against the bookshelf that had been tipped over in the explosion. "What the hell's going on? Didn't you just stop an Apocalypse from happening?"

"Number one:" Angel began with a growl pointing to him. "No, I don't have a damn clue what's going on," He stood an moved to the edge of the second floor balcony to view Mara who had awakened and was beginning to crawl out of the pool of her own blood. "Number two: It wasn't the Powers That Be who made the void was it?"

She looked up at him blankly and weakly. Her eyes still pasty white but slowly fading back to the husky color they had been before that Connor had seen. She gritted her teeth in pain at the sound of her flesh and internal organs stitching back together. The sound alone was sickening to listen to but everyone could hear it. She was more than a demon, she had the scent of a vampire as well but there was something as well, it was confusing enough that she had the powers of a demon but the scent of a vampire but to have something else added into it seemed purely insane to him and probably Spike.

"Does it look like I have that kind of power?" She asked him weakly forcing herself to stand and lean against a column.

He motioned over to Wesley and Doyle knowing she knew they were up there. "Yeah it does."

"That wasn't me," She hissed at him her hand covering the major wound to stop the bleeding. "Nor do I care to explain it to you either."

"Why am I naked?" Doyle's voice chimed in once again from behind Angel. "Please explain."

Spike moved next to Angel to look over at Mara. His eyes glared at her as she gasped and choked on her own blood. He finally moved away from Angel to walk down to where Mara stood.

"Yes," He began grabbing a hold of her vest to hoist her up completely. "Please explain what the bloody hell is going on you godforsaken wench."

She glared up at him fading her eyes to a deep pitch black. "I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you, William."

Angel raised an eyebrow at the way they had spoken to one another. She had called him William. Spike's human name from so long ago when he was mortal and for the beginning years of his vampiric reign. "You two know each other?"

Spike rolled his eyes, giving an exasperated sigh he released her from his grasp to look up at Angel. Still focused on him, Spike's arm lashed out to deliver a punch across Mara's face. She collapsed to the ground with a grunt and Spike turned back to her, one of his hands went to grab the back of her vest pulling her back up the stairs with him.

"No," Spike began with a groan of annoyance pulling harder on her vest. "I only told you five hundred bloody times that I knew the wanker and what did you do? You told me to shut my yap!"

Mara struggled more but stopped when she began to cringe in pain at the feeling of her vest digging against her wound that was still mending. Much slower thanks to the way Spike had a hold of her. He threw her up the rest of the way and made his way to the top of the stairs where Angel and the other stood. Her body curled up into a ball and she began to groan from the sudden shock of pain.

Spike looked to Angel in disgust. "This little bitch is the offspring of the one called 'The Left Hand of the Devil'.

Everyone looked at her where she lay curled up in a searing ball of pain. Everyone else seemed to understand what was going on but Connor. Even for all his time in another dimension he had never heard of anyone referred to as 'The Left Hand of the Devil'.

"Who?"

"The Left Hand of the Devil has no equal to him besides the Devil himself," Spike began to explain rather annoyed again at the fact no one had seemed to pay attention to him. His gaze turned back to Mara then she delivered a blow with the tip of his boot to her face when she began to move. "No creature in this realm or anyone other one is more powerful than he is."

"So he's a demon?"

"No," He told them glaring down at Mara. "One hundred percent vampire power. He's most powerful vampire known to humans and the damned. She is as you have noticed though is part demon," Mara bared her teeth at him through her split lip that was allowing more blood to spill onto her chin. More than the busted nose she had received earlier thanks to the fight or the sword through her gut. "Am I right? Considering you got three bloods mixed inside that buggered up body of yours?"

Angel moved between Spike and Mara so he wouldn't strike out at her again. "So what is she Spike?"

"Stop speaking as though I'm not here," She growled at them as she rolled onto her back briefly before attempting to stand. Blood seeped over her hands from where she covered her wound and she moved herself closer to the railing of the balcony. "It's considered rude to do that."

Illyria knelt beside Wesley, her hand brushing over his cheek. He was still unconscious, almost like he didn't want to wake. His body was still healing though so she understood that. "This is not an illusion."

Mara looked over to her, leaning against the railing of the balcony that helped her to stand and shook her head. "No. It's not."

"Why am I naked?" Doyle repeated yet again but stopped himself from continuing when he saw Mara standing before them.

Her face showed just as much surprise as his. She didn't know who was being brought back from beyond but it was a shock to see Doyle standing before her, a jacket wrapped around his waist like a towel that he held onto tightly so it wouldn't slip.

"Mara?" He began and she moved away from them until Spike moved forward to grab onto her arm. "How..what's going on?"

"Great," Gunn began raising his hands in the air in utter annoyance as to what was going on. "Does everyone know who the hell she is but doesn't care to explain how they actually know her?"

Angel moved to grab her away from Spike. His hand grasped her by her forearms and shook her so she'd focus on him. "What the hell is going on?"

He saw her eyes shift from husky to black once again. Her face was turning pale as she used what remained of her strength to strike back at him. The eclipses formed in her eyes and her wounds began to open again. The blood slowly drained from her lacerations but as her eclipses formed larger in her eyes. She cried out in excruciating pain as the eclipses began to escape her eyes.

Angel turned to run from her but it was too late.

The light came from her eyes but not as powerful as before, obviously she was too heavily wounded to do any real damage, powerful enough to send him into the air to smash into his son. As soon as the light left her, she turned stumbling and running from them. Deeper into the belly of the destroyed library she ran trying to escape them despite her injuries. Gunn and Spike moved quickly following after her to keep her from leaving without an explanation.

The blow from her power had not harmed them that much and they were ready to know what was happening.

Connor helped Angel back to his feet. "What the hell?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Angel muttered rubbing his head.

"You okay?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah I'm fine," With that answer Connor ran off to find Spike before he decided he'd kill Mara. "Connor!"

He shook his head then looked over to Doyle who was staring off in the direction that Mara and the others had left in. "Old girlfriend?"

Doyle gave slight shake of his head and let out a soft sigh. "No, old friend," He told him looking down at his feet then back to Angel. "Again, why am I naked?"

"Trying to figure that out too," He told him with a shrug. "What's the last thing you remember?" Doyle looked at him confused. "Before waking up here I mean."

Doyle shook his head trying to think over what he could remember. "A bright..a bright light..I was pulling the cables off of the..of the Scrouge. My skin was burning. Every part of me was burning," His eyes grew wide when he realized what had happened. "I died..I died that night, didn't I?" Angel nodded to him grimly recalling watching his death. "If I died then why am I here?"

"Another thing that we're still trying to figure that out," Angel told him with a sigh.

Doyle looked around the room as if he was searching for someone. Angel knew the person he was searching for. He felt a weight settle on his heart, he didn't want to be the one to tell him what had happened to the woman that he had one had such deep feelings for.

"Where's Cordelia?" Doyle finally questioned him after looking to Illyria and Wesley. Angel stared at the floor and Doyle understood what he meant. He looked blankly forward. "She's dead. Isn't she?" Angel nodded to him. Doyle began to choke on his tears as he spoke. "How?"

"After giving birth," Angel told him softly. "She slipped into a coma, she never woke from it."

Doyle nodded slowly trying to gather himself. "What happened to the child?"

"Well if you want to call it that," He muttered recalling Jasmine before he continued: "She was killed," He told him with another sigh of regret. He didn't want to tell him all this off the bat. Why did he have to? The way his face was so torn from the noise. "You know..we don't have to talk about her or what happened right now."

Doyle nodded looking around the room over at Wesley then back to Angel. "So..what's going on?"

"Apparently you've come back from the dead to help us prevent yet another Apocalypse."

"Great who started it now?"

* * *

**A:N: **Once again thanks for all your reviews! I'm always open for their ideas for songs at the beginning of the chapters so please send some ideas in! Thanks and don't forget to review!


	5. Chapter Five: The Other Side

**A:N: **Thanks to everyone for reviewing: katana777, SpanishGirl, mendenbar, Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Cari7, Swagman, Sam, heartfallen, Lilith Lunatic and gopie.

* * *

**Chapter Five **

**The Other Side**

_I'm over it  
You see I'm falling in the vast abyss  
Clouded by memories of the past  
At last, I see _

I hear it fading  
I can't speak it  
Or else you will dig my grave  
We fear them finding  
Always winding  
Take my hand now  
Be alive

You see I cannot be forsaken  
Because I'm not the only one  
We walk amongst you  
Feeding, raping  
Must we hide from everyone

I'm over it  
Why can't we be together  
Erase it  
Sleeping so long  
Taking off the mask  
At last, I see

My fear is fading  
I can't speak it  
Or else you will dig my grave  
We fear them finding  
Always winding  
Take my hand now  
Be alive

You see I cannot be forsaken  
Because I'm not the only one  
We walk amongst you  
Feeding, raping  
Must we hide from everyone

You see I cannot be forsaken  
Because I'm not the only one  
We walk amongst you  
Feeding, raping  
Must we hide from everyone

Everyone  
Everyone  
Everyone 

She had turned into a room off to the right and silently shut the door. Her back pressed against the door to prevent them from entering if they had seen her go into the room. The footsteps of her pursuers went past the door and further into the library. She waited until they were distant before she limped out into the open. Her gaze spun around the large room of fiction, focusing on the nearby window, which she then began to hobble over to.

Grabbing a nearby cart she threw it at the window with what little strength she had left. The window didn't completely break; rather the cart simply got stuck in it. The sound of the glass shattering hadn't brought Spike or Gunn back to where she was though which made her plenty happy even though she knew it would. Knowing that they were too far in the library appeased her for the moment.

She smirked kicking the cart the rest of the way through the window despite the immense pain the flowed through her.

With all her attention directed towards making certain Spike and Gunn hadn't heard her, she hadn't realized that the rest of the glass shattering had caught the attention of someone else.

Connor grabbed her from behind before she tried to jump out of the shattered window. He couldn't let her get away that easily. Not after what had happened. Wrapping his arms around her they fell backwards, her body landing on his transferring blood to him.

She was so weak but she fought back despite it. Flipping so she had the upper hand by looking down upon him, she delivered a harsh punch to his face. What seemed like a harsh punch to her was nothing though. Her body was so drained from the loss of blood she barely had any strength to fight let alone stand.

He pushed up on her so she fell to the side smashing her head against a shelf. No remorse came from him as he moved to push her down while she lashed out at him. Nails dug into the flesh on his arm while he tried to pin her hands over her head.

Her breathing became level and she sighed softly. She rested her head on the floor. Her strength was gone. She couldn't help it. Her body hurt so much from all the pain that she had endured. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. She knew one thing for certain though.

That Connor wouldn't hurt her. No matter what had happened in his vicious past, or at least one of them, he wouldn't harm her.

After a moment passed, he began to realize something odd. She wasn't healing like any normal vampire would. Moving off of her he helped her to sit and leaned against the bookshelves.

"I thought you were a vampire," He stated taking his sweater off to press it against her flesh trying to stop the bleeding. "A vampire would of healed by now."

She shook her head weakly, blood dribbling down her chin. "I'm only part vampire."

"Part?" He questioned her in dismay. "I thought that was impossible."

"I thought a man born of two vampires was impossible and yet," She motioned to him with a groan as blood trickled from her mouth. "Here you are," She pushed his hand away from her with a sharp groan and began to try and stand. He shook his head trying to keep her down. She knocked his hand away with a growl. "I don't need your help."

She reached up and grasped onto a shelf to help stand. Connor refused to let her stand up alone and she didn't feel the urge to fight him off now.

Something was wrong. Something about what was happening was so wrong. She could help but be fearful of it, the presence. She knew that presence and she knew if she didn't get him out of there he'd been in trouble. As she stood she felt his hands holding her waist and she pushed him away.

"I said I don't need your help."

Connor didn't back off, instead he just moved up and held onto her so she didn't fall. "Did PMS suddenly strike you?"

"Yes Mara.." A new voice questioned them from the shadows.

Connor turned and saw another man, more than likely vampire, dressed in black from head to toe just staring at them intensely. His dark crimson eyes staring at them, beneath them was a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose.

"Do tell us what has made you arrogantly stupid in last twenty-four hours?"

Mara moved to stand on her own, her eyes glared at him. "Last twenty-four?" She questioned him with a smirk. "What made you so arrogantly idiotic that you did not realize long ago that I had began being so fucking stupid?"

"Well that explains a whole lot you stupid whore," He stated aggressively as he walked towards her but his eyes were focused on Connor. She hissed at him warning him not to come any closer to her or Connor. "Vaughn regrets not being able to return. Told me to tell you that he is planning on stopping by to finish you off in a few days."

He looked between her and Connor for a moment. "He would visit you sooner but your target has made his healing a little difficult. Tell me Mara, have you developed feelings for yet another pathetic target?"

She gave a low hiss at his attempt at insulting her.

"Or have they gone past mere compassion to lust?" He looked back to Connor admiring his physique. "Perhaps you would allow me the pleasure of fighting the son of Angel?"

She continued to stare him down when he looked back to her, not willing to give him an answer or at least a straight one. His gaze turned back to Connor who stood a little bit in front of her as if to protect her. She looked at him confused briefly. Why was he doing this? She didn't want his help or need it. She needed to make sure he wasn't killed.

The vampire in front of them began to laugh sinisterly. "Do you need a human's protection Mara?"

"Piss off asshole," Connor told him with a growl. The vampire acted as though he was frightened then he laughed at him. "Get the hell out of here."

"Or what?" He sneered at him baring his teeth. "You gonna kill me?"

"You bet I will."

That statement made the vampire stop cold. Mara could see the fear in his eyes and this made her smile. "Don't lie, Duncan. You can only look upon him in fear."

"Fear?" He questioned taking another step forward. Though he moved as though he wasn't afraid she could hear the fear in his voice. "Fear of what?" He glared at Connor. "A man who is only a lowly pathetic piece of shit compared to us?"

"Oh I do hope Vaughn told you what this human could do to us?"

He began to laugh at them again. "A human? A threat to us? A threat to the Left Hand of the Deliver? You stupid fucked up bitch. How could you think he'd be any threat to us or anyone for that matter?"

Connor felt his anger rising inside of him. He had a chance to make this vampire shut the hell up. He wasn't sure if it would work but he had a feeling it had something to do with his origins. "A guy born of two vampires isn't a threat to you?"

His eyes became wide in horror and he looked to Mara for an explanation. "Did you forget something about Angel's son?"

"Would I?" She questioned him with a smirk. "You know me well Duncan. Do think I won't?"

"Then that shall be something I'll be forced to stop it." He told her with a smile.

His hand moved quickly to a gun that rested at his side. She shouted for Connor to run but instead he moved and grabbed his arm as the gun came out.

"Spike!" He exclaimed for help knowing full well that he wasn't about to go against a vampire of this age without being turn to shreds.

Connor swung Duncan around and smashed him into the shelf. Duncan cried out in a pain before he lashed out at Connor. He was laughing. Menacingly. He struck him with such force he sent Connor flying against the wall. His body cracked at the impact and he fell to the floor. His head collided with the floor cutting his cheek open.

Duncan smiled at the smell of the blood coming from him. Walking towards him he brought his foot up to connect with his gut, kicking him against the wall once again. The sound of Connor groaning in pain made him chuckle more.

Mara brought her fist across Duncan's face. He opened his jaws in a wide cry of annoyance revealing his long teeth to her. His body went to one side and as he fell he grabbed her knowing she was too weak to stop him. Pulling her into him, he brought his teeth down, deep into her shoulder, her screams made him dig deeper into her shoulder.

Her body was raked with pain as she fought to keep herself standing. Her eyes turned deep black in rage. She couldn't help anymore. She was too weak and soon all her strength would diminish. If she released the eclipses she wouldn't be able to stand.

Suddenly Duncan's mouth released her to allow her to crash to the ground. Pain seared his back then his sides. Connor's grip on the dagger was tight. He had grabbed it from Mara when she had been bitten and now delivered hard blows into Duncan's body. Over and over he stabbed the vampire. Blood spewing out from the stabs to splatter his face but he just kept stabbing him.

Something was wrong though. Why he wasn't turning to ash? Duncan stood tall bringing his fist around to knock Connor to the floor.

"You fucking bastard! You really think you can defeat me?" He hissed at Connor who leapt back to his feet. Duncan ignored him to look at Mara who struggled to rest on her knees. He smiled broadly at the site of all the blood on her body. "And you stupid little bitch!"

"I keep getting called that," She stated with a slight chuckle and weak shrug. "Why?"

He walked to her. Leaned down, grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled her up to look him in the face. "Maybe because that's all you are?"

He began to bring his fist back when Connor grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him backwards causing him to release Mara. The sudden jerk made him smash into a bookshelf while Connor moved to stand between him and Mara.

He stared at Connor and chuckled at him. "You're just as fucking stupid as she is."

"What are you doing here?" Connor asked him.

He smiled again looking back to Mara. "With blood as sweet as hers I would never allow Vaughn to drink from her."

"Get the hell out of here Duncan," Mara told him with a growl standing and leaning against the wall. "You'll only manage to get yourself killed and unlike Vaughn, I'd prefer not to kill you. But I will if I need too."

He looked over at Connor again. "Has the loss of your memory made you soft boy?" The vampire sneered edging Connor on, trying to get him more riled that he was. "You're helping out the bitch who was sent here to kill you!" Connor looked over to Mara briefly and she simply shrugged. "What?" Connor looked back to Duncan. "New memories of a farce make you so you can't kill anymore?"

"That's enough Duncan," She hissed at him, her arms wrapped around her body. The wounds still weren't healing, her skin was pale almost gray in coloring.

"That's enough from you Mara!" He retorted to her, looking at her, his eyes burned red at the thought of her betrayal. "You are nothing to us anymore, only another creature that has sealed its fucked up little fate that when the sun doesn't rise anymore you'll be dead as well!" He looked back to Connor who stood his fists still clinching the dagger tightly. "I do so wonder what a mortal born of two vampires tastes like though."

Duncan lunged for him.

Connor spun out of the way, the dagger spun around in his hand and out of the hilt came a stake that he thrust deep into the vampire's chest. The dagger cut his hand as well but he could cart less. The cry that exploded from Duncan was loud and painful to listen to.

Duncan looked at Connor, his eyes wide in horror as he slowly began to fade to ashes.

"To taste my blood first you have to find it," He hissed in his ear as the vampire disappeared.

Connor's gaze turned to Mara, who leaned again the wall watching the sight unfold before her. She shook her head at him looking out towards the window. She moved slowly to lean against the shattered frame, her eyes wide in horror at what she saw happen. He stared at her as she shuddered and shook. Tears began to form in her eyes but she whipped them away quickly.

"Hey," He began walking over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Don't ask questions of me," She told him with a growl glaring at him. Her eyes full of hurt towards what had happened. She grabbed the dagger that Connor still head in his hand.

A hurt that Connor didn't understand, Duncan had tried to kill her and him. Why would she feel sadness to the loss?

"He was my brother," She told him softly her gaze drifting behind Connor to another man. "I won't answer any questions from anyone."

"How the hell do you not expect us to ask questions?" Angel asked her as he walked over to where they stood. "Two of my friends who were dead are suddenly very much alive, breathing and not transparent or walk through able."

She smirked at him with a chuckle then felt her smile fade when her gaze fell on Doyle as he walked up behind Angel. She gave a sigh leaning her head back against the shattered window frame. Her cheek connected with some glass and she began to bleed even more. She didn't flinch though, it was like she didn't feel it which Connor felt disturbing.

Spike and Gunn came around the corner. Connor looked at them with a scowl. "Where the hell were you two?"

"This place is huge," Spike insisted with a growl his gaze went to Mara. "You didn't kill her? Why not?"

"You don't have any need to know things that don't concern you," Mara voiced in with a growl towards Angel, her focus on her alone.

"We don't do we?" Angel hissed to her walking up to her.

His hand moved to grip her throat tightly and slammed her already mangled body into the broken window. Glass stuck into her back and she gave a weak cry of pain from the shards digging into her back. She was getting tired of being used as a punching tool. Her body was weak enough as it is and she didn't act as though that she felt anything.

"We don't do we?" He hissed again and she glared at him as he lifted her in the air. The glass stayed attached to the window frame and as her body slid up the glass cut deeper into her flesh. "We don't do we?"

Still she didn't answer instead she spit blood into his face. She stared down at him gritting her teeth to keep from crying out in pain.

"I'd like an answer to my question," Angel told her slamming her against the window frame again this time uttering a scream. "Now."

"What are you going to do if I don't?" She sneered. "Kill me. That would be one hell of a dumb ass idea."

"Start explaining then."

She was reluctant but knew they needed to be told. She shut her eyes breathing slowly as she began to explain. "Doyle can see the things I need to know. Wesley knows things that need to be known," She opened her eyes to look at Connor who gripped his hand tightly trying to stop the bleeding. "Connor is the key," She looked back to Angel. "The rest of you all have your little fucked up parts to play. So why don't you piss off and let me go."

Spike shouted: "Oh what the bloody hell makes you think we're just going to let you go?"

"Because the urge to kill you still hasn't faded yet Spike."

"You harlot!"

"You stupid ass hole."

Angel released her letting her slump in an agonizing scream. She could feel the pain plan as day now. "Okay I need to know how the hell you really know each other."

"With out me then."

With those final words she allowed herself to fall to the side and out the window. Angel shouted at her to stop and reached for her but before anyone could reach her she had fallen from the second story to collide with the ground. They all moved to the window to see her land with a loud thud but almost relatively nicely.

The only other sound to be heard over the rain was her screaming a painful dammit.

"Did you die?" Spike screamed down at her. "Cause that'd be excellent!"

"Piss off!" She screamed back up at him. She coughed, blood squirting out of her mouth and onto the ground. She looked back up at them and flipped them the bird. She didn't look long though in only a moment she turned and began to run towards a motorcycle got on it and kicked it into high gear.

Everyone turned and looked at Spike who shrugged. "What?"

"So.." Doyle began looking around at Gunn and Connor and he extended his hand. "I'm Doyle."

* * *

**A:N: **Thanks again to everyone who reviewed; katana777, SpanishGirl, mendenbar, Elledreamer, Housaholic32, MysticWolf1, Cari7, Swagman, Sam, heartfallen, Lilith Lunatic and gopie. Thanks to everyone for reading and continue the reviews. I'll update as soon as I can. 


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